Puzzle-game apparatus



(No Model.)

Gr. B. VS'HEPARD.

PUZZLE GAME APPARATUS. No." 449,708. Patented Apr. 7, 1891.

UNITED STATEs GEORGE B. SHEPARD, OF`

` PATENT OFFICE.

OGDENSBURG, NEW YORK.

PUZZLE-GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 44:9,708, clated April '7, 1891.

Application filed May 8, 1889.

To all whom, it may conccrn:

Be it known that I, .GEORGE B. SHEPARD, of Ogdensburg, in the county of St.Lawrence and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzle- Game Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the acconpanying drawing, which forms part of this specification, and which is a plan View of my puzzle-game apparatus.

The invention relates to that class of puzzle-game apparatus in which the endeavor of the player is to house a number of loose spherical bodies in an inclosure located on the upper surface of a board by tilting the board in different directions, according to the position of said spherical bodies on said board; and it consists, first, of the foundationboard or platform A, having a plane or relatively plane upper surface inclosed ou all sides with a guard B. This foundation may be of any material, shape, or size convenient to tilt, as hereinafter described; but I prefer to make it of wood and oblong in shape, as shown, as thus it requires the least labor to make it. The upper surface of said platform I prefer to make smooth; but it maybe roughened or indented to cause more or less obstruction to the progress of the spherical bodies hereinafter described. The guard B, I make of wood, in the shape shown; but it may be made of any material, shape, or size suitable to retain on said platform the loose spherical bodies hereinafter described when the said platform is tilted, as hereinafter described.

It consists, second, of a number of pins or pegs secured to said platform vertically to the plane of its upper surface and at sufficient distance from each otherand from said guard B and from the inclosure Ohereinafter described, to allow the loose spherical bodies hereinafter described to pass or roll between them. These pins may be placed in a regular or irregular plan, as their manner of arrangement is not important, their purpose being to impede the course of the said spherical bodies when said platform is tilted, as hereinafter described.

It consists, third, of an inclosure C, located on the upper surface of said platform in or near the center thereof and' having retainin g Serial No. 310,()40. (No model.)

guards or wallsD, of sufficient height to retain the loose spherical bodies hereinafter described when the said platform is tilted, as hereinafter described, and with two or more openings in'said retaining-walls on a level with said upper surface, of sufficient size to pernit the said spherical bodies to enter and escape from said inclosure. I prefer to make the retaining-walls of said inclosu re oval or circular in plan, as shown; but they maybe made of any shape suitable for the purpose shown, regular or irregular in form. I also arrange the said openings in the said retaining-walls opposite each other and at the greatest' distance apart as relates to said inclosure, as shown; but their relative position is not essential. The said inclosure may be .roofed over or left uncovered, as preferred, and I make the side walls thereof of card-board; but they may be of any material suitable for the purposes herein described.

The spherical bodies above men tioned may be ordinary playing-marbles or any other sphericalbody of solid material, in size appropriate to pass or roll between the pins above described, and enter the openings of the inclosure above described.

Having now described myim proved puzzlegame apparatus, I will proceed to describe the method of Operating the same.

The player, having placed a number of ordinary playing marbles or the spherical bodies described on the upper surface of the platform just within the guard on the edge thereof, grasps the said platform with his haudat its opposite edges and tilts it bodily in such direction that the marbles will roll by force of gravity toward one of the openings of the said inclosure. The player then tilts the platform so that that marble will roll into said opening and be retained within said inclosure. He then proceeds in the same manner to get as many marbles as possible within said inclosure, being careful not to let those first within that inclosure escape through the openings above described. That player wins who within a given time gets the greatest number of marbles iu said inclosure at one time by ,use only of the means and in the manner above described.

'I therefore now claim as my inventiou and desire to secure by Letters Patent- IOO As &u improved article oli nzunfzetu'e, :L ing-nmrhles or other spherieal bodies of solid puzzle-game a-ppamtus consisting of a platmaterial, suhsmntially as and for the purform having a plane or relativel y plane upper poses shown and described. surface surrounded with ;L guard, EL number I In testnony that I claim the fo'egoing as 5 of pis Secured vertieally to tleplme of suel my own I have hereunto ufixedny signature I 5 upper surface, and an inclosure 011 said upin presence of two witnesses.

per surface and within said guard, having GEORGE B. SIIEPARD. two or more openings in the side Walls of said witnesses: inclosu'e, all adapted to beheld and tilted by LOUIS HASBRUCK,

o hand and used, a s shown, With ordinary plny- XVARD Il'. GOODENOUGH. 

